Windshield wiper



March 11, 1941. R. J. 'RoDRlcK 2,234,769

wINDsHIELD WIPER Filed April 12. 1939 f7 32 fa 16 l 4 5MM y IWil/911111111,

i Patented Mar. 11', 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDSHIELD WIPER Raymond J. Rodrick, Akron, Ohio Application April 12, 1939, Serial No. 267,412

5 Claims.

This invention relates to windshield wipers and more particularly to a clip adapted to securea windshield wiper blade to a wiper arm.

It is among the objects of my invention to prou vide a windshield wiper clip which is adapted to receive a Windshield wiper arm having a substantially nat surface at that end of the arm secured to the clip.

lt is a further object ot my invention to provide a clip constructed in accordance with the preceding object in which the clip is pivotally secured to the wiper blade on an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the Wiper blade so that the asssembly comprising the blade, clip and arm will be Seli-adjusting with respect to the windshield to be wiped. l

It is a further object of myinvention to pro vide a clip constructed according to the precedlng objects in which the clip is securely fixed to a wiper arm oi the character described and constitutes in enect an extension of such arm so as to present a pair of depending ears which will embrace an attaching portion carried by the windshield wiper blade.

Further objects and advantages relating to simplicity in construction and economies in manufacture will appear from the following description and the appended drawing, wherein Figure l is a perspective view of a wiper blade and arm assembly constructed according to ,my invention;

Figure 2 isan elevation of a part oi the wiper blade clip constructed according to my invention;

Flaure il is a view taken in the direction indicated by arrows d--d oi Figure 2;

Figure i is an elevation with parts in section or" a modified form of clip constructed according to my invention;

lineare 5 is an elevation with parte in section showing a further modiiication in its assembled position with the-windshield wiper arm, y

Figure 6 is an elevation of a saddle element iormine a part oi my invention; 'and Figure 'l is a perspective view of the clip shown in Figure 5 with the wiper arm and wiper blade portion in dotted outline.

it is understood by those familiar with this art that windshield Wiper constructions vary from year to year and vary inthe type of arm provided in the Windshield Wiper assembly.

llt is also well understood that of the windshield wiper assembly, the part which requires frequent replacement is the blade or wiping element., Since there are a number of different wiper arms, venjoying Wide current use, the manufacturer of replacement wiper blades is confronted with a serious problem in furnishing a. Wiper blade having a clip or means of attachment thereon, which tid dit

is adapted` to receive any one of the various wiper arms.

I have illustrated my invention as being applied to a tubular typeoi windshield wiper blade, and I have included in my invention a part of the saddle lor clip construction which is ordinarily furnished with the tubular type of blade and which is in general use.

The blade is indicated in its entirety as at 6 and comprises a tubular wiping portion 'l secured in the metal channel 3. A saddle l0 is positioned to embrace the back of the wiper blade as indicated in Figure 1.l The saddle lll is prei'- erably constructed as shown in Figure 6 and is provided at its upper edge as at ll with a notch or opening adapted to receive what is known in the art as a hoolr-typefwiper arm. Reference is made to Patent No. 2,127,142, dated August 16, 1938 to Raymond A'. Rodrick, for a more detailed description oi the construction of the wiper blade and the functions of the saddle lt ordinarily employed in conjunction therewith.

The wiper arm is indicated in its entirety as at l5 and includes a sheet metal tip it which is pro vided with a T-shaped slot as at il, it and it,

y and to secure this type of arm to the wiper blade ii, l prefer to employ a pivoted clip or connector indicated in its entirety as at tb. The connector 2li comprises a dat portion it adapted to lie beneath the flat portion of the tip lli and is drawn or stamped out as at tl to provide an aperture td. integrally formed with the iiat section 2li is an upturned tongue lil arranged to project upwardly through that portion of the slot indicated at l t. The upturned portion tu is prei erablyproportioned sothatwhen the arm. is assentbled with the connector as shown in Figure l., the tongue tu prevents longitudinal movement oi the connector 2t with respect to the arm lit.

The arm is xed to the connector it in the assembled position shown in Figure l by inserting a self-tapping screw 3l through the slot portion It and rotating the same so as to torni threads in the drawn or extruded tubular section il.

A pair of depending ears 33 and til are integrally formed with the section 26 and are adapted to embrace the baclr portion il ot the saddle lt. The forward edges oi the ears are extended and apertured as at 36 to receive a fastening element 3l extending transversely through apertures it in the walls of the back portion l2 of the saddle it. The fastening clement 3l is shown as being a conventional boit and nut arrangement but it will be understood that this fastening device may be replaced by a cotter pin or the like.

When a blade equipped with a clip constructed according to my invention is assembled upon the vehicle, the forward wiping surface oi the blade element l will be properly presented to the windshield glass and the blade will adjust itseli to m dil proper wiping relation regardless of the angle which the arm I makes with respect to the glass due to the pivoting action between the arm and the blade through the element 31.

In Figure 4 I have shown a modified form of my connector element which is indicated in its entirety as at 40; This form of connector element comprises a flat section 4l having an aperture 42, and an upturned tongue 43 constructed and arranged substantially as shown in the preferred embodiment. The connector element 40 is also provided with depending ears such as at 44 which may be apertured as at 45 to receive the fastening element 31, substantially as heretofore described.

The forward end of the fiat section 26 in this modification is provided with a bendable tongue 46 and when this form of my invention is assembled with a Wiper arm as' illustrated in Figure 1, the arm and clip may be applied .to a wiper blade having an attaching portion constructed as shown at 50 in Figure 4. This type of attaching portion is designed to take -a wiper arm having an upturned hook and the clip 40 according to my invention adapts a fiat-ended arm such as I5 of Figure 1 to operate with a blade having an attaching portion such as 50. In the 4event the attaching portion 50 is not apertured transversely to take the fastener 31, the hook 46 in cooperation with the depending ears 44 secures the arm to the blade. l

That form of my invention shown in Figures 5 and 7 is quite similar to that shown in Figure l in that it includes a flat portion such as 5I, a drawn or extruded portion 52 to receive the screw 3l and an upturned tongue 43. The last-named parts function in the same manner as the corresponding parts in the preferred embodiment. The modification of Figures 5 and 7 is distinguished over the preferred form in the Way in which it is secured to the blade. It will be noted by reference to Figures 5 and '1 that the depending ears have been dispensed with and that a pair of flat, depending, curled strapsl 52 are arranged to encircle the connecting pin 31. I have found that this form 'of my, invention affords a strong resilient attachment between the arm and blade which is a distinct advantage with such wiper blades as are required to iiop from side to side during their wiping action.

It will be understood particularly by a reference to the Rodrick patent above referred to that in the event the motor vehicle is provided with a hook type of wiper arm, or a wiper arm having depending ears, the connector elements such as 25 and 40 may be dispensed with and the arm connected to the saddle in the manner disclosed in said patent.`

Althoughl I have shown and described three forms of my invention in considerable detail, it will be appreciated by those Skilled in the art that colorable variations or modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope ing a fiat portion arranged beneath said firstnamed slot and having an upturned tongue projecting upwardly through said second-named slot, and a fastening device extending through the first-named slot into said fiat portion of the connector element.

2. A wiper arm and blade assembly comprising, a Wiper arm having a flat sheet metal end portion joined to the arm by an integral section extending at an angle with respect to said fiat portion, said fiat portion having a slot extending longitudinally of the arm and said section having a slot extending transversely of the arm, a wiper blade provided with a connector element pivotally joined thereto on an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the blade, said element provided with a flat section to bear against the underside of the flat portion of said arm and proportioned to cover said longitudinal slot, an upturned tongue carried by said element arranged to project through said transverse slot and a fastening element extending through said longitudinal slot into the flat section of the connector to hold the connector and arm in assembled relation.

3. A wiper blade and arm assembly including a wiper arm having a at end portion adapted to be secured to the wiper blade, said wiper blade provided with a connector element having a. fiat section arranged to bear against the underside of the end of said arm and a pair of depending ears provided with aligned apertures, a fastening device extending transversely of the wiper blade and through said apertured ears `to pivotally mount said element on the blade, the fiat portion of said element being provided with an upturned hook at its forward end and an upwardly extending tongue at its rearward end, said wiper' arm provided with a slot extending transversely of the arm, said slot vproportioned to receive the tongue at the rearward end of said element, said wiper blade provided with an attaching portion proportioned to t between said ears and having an opening adapted to receive said upturned hook.

4. A wiper arm and blade assembly comprising a wiper ann having a blade attaching portion at the end thereof including a fiat sheet metal section provided with a T-shaped slot, a connector element pivotally secured to the back of the wiper blade, said element comprising a iiat portion adapted to be arranged beneath said slot and an upwardly extending tongue portion adapted to project through said slot, said element provided with a pair of spaced, downwardly-curled straps at its forward end proportioned to embrace the back of a wiper blade portion and a fastening device extending through said wiper blade portion and through both of said straps.

5, A wiper arm and bladeassembly comprising, a wiper armhaving a at attaching portion at the end thereof, said flat portion provided with intersecting slots normal to each other, a connector element having an integral portion extending through one lof said slots and a removable fastener extending through the other slot, said connector element provided with an upturned hook at its forward end, a wiper blade provided with an attaching part adapted to bear against the under side of said connector element, said part having an aperture arranged to receive said upturned hook and secure the clipand arm to the, blade.

vRAYMOND J, RODRICK. 

